This invention relates generally to reading and encoding barcodes.
A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data. Originally, barcodes represented data by a series of parallel lines (or “bars”) having varying widths and spacing. Such barcodes are referred to as one-dimensional (1D) barcodes. Universal product code (UPC) is a widely-used type of 1D barcode. Barcodes have since evolved to include two-dimensional (2D) barcodes in which data is represented by a two-dimensional geometric pattern. While 2D barcodes use a variety of symbols other than bars, they are also referred to as barcodes. Quick response (QR) code is a widely-used type of 2D barcode.
Barcodes are typically printed on items, such as paper labels or packaging for goods, manufacturer's or retailer's coupons, or on tickets or passes, such as airline boarding passes, or on advertisements for products and services. Barcode scanners (also referred to as barcode readers) are used to extract information from barcodes. Barcode scanners are found in many different types of facilities including stores and supermarkets, airport security check-in and boarding areas, stadiums, libraries, test centers, conference centers, and in many other contexts. The use of barcodes and barcode scanners has dramatically increased the speed and convenience of performing many commonplace transactions.
Due to differences in the characteristics of different types of barcodes, a scanner designed for reading one type of barcode may not be able to reliably read another type of barcode, if it can read them at all.